Without Fail
by MysticDawn5
Summary: Tomoyo of Piffle, so much like Princess Tomoyo of Japan, looked up at him with deep concern in her eyes. "...Does it hurt?" she asked him timidly. / Spoilers for Chapitre 89 /


**Without Fail**

**By Mystic Dawn**

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**Notes:** Spoilers for Chapitre 89.

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During the long hours of night, one is able to find moments of peace and serenity, in order to contemplate and to rearrange one's thoughts. That night however, had room for little thought, for a wild party was in full swing. The reason for the celebration? Why, Sakura's victory in the Dragonfly Race, of course.

Admittedly, however, the guest of honor was fast asleep, and the partying had been left to the rest of the guests, who were more than happy to oblige in drinking Sakura's share. In blissful merriment, they went about their cheering and their drinking, ignorant that one in their midst had quietly slipped away to find some privacy.

Kurogane silently departed from the large futuristic building where he and the others had taken up residence during their stay in Piffle, and he breathed in the fresh night-air deeply. Being closed up with poor drunkards was not at all amusing in his personal opinion—especially when they could not drink properly, and when most of them were complete and total strangers.

He leaned against Sakura's racer (a modest and cute little model which had been named 'Wing Egg'), and, raising his bottle of saké to his lips, he drank deeply. He dove his gloved left hand deep into his pocket, ignoring the stinging spasms of pain that shot through it—he had consciously put himself in danger, after all, and had to suffer the consequences in appropriate silence. His eyes fell upon the open door of the building, light flooding out of the entrance; sighing heavily, he drank some more wine from his bottle.

All that Kurogane and the others had discovered here in Piffle had disturbed him more than he cared to admit. He found himself dwelling back on his past more often these last few days because of their findings. And yet again, memories overwhelmed him and pulled him under the surface of his consciousness, carrying him back to a place he knew only too well. He remembered things that he had not recalled in years, and words that he had originally thought forgotten, but his memory had held onto them steadfast. Kurogane even caught himself wondering how his raven-haired princess was doing back in his home-world... He sincerely hoped that she was doing well, although he could not help but feel the usual small twinge of anger for her exiling him from Japan.

He had been furious and outraged with her at first, for he could not—and would not—understand the reason for his banishment. Kurogane's cold rage had lessened, however, with time. He could never stay angry with her for very long—even now.

He had also come to sullenly accept his twisted fate; traveling from dimension to dimension in order to return to Japan. Each time they would journey to a new world he would tingle with ill-suppressed excitement—would he return home this time? But each time he had been disappointed, and the bitter taste of defeat grew stronger with each dimension they traveled to.

Kurogane was beginning to wonder darkly whether he would ever make it back home.

He was still in deep thought when a small figure appeared in the doorway. With swift and delicate steps, she made her way to him and seated herself upon a small chest at the foot of the Dragonfly racer, right beside him, although he was standing. When sitting, her height barely managed to reach his waist.

Tomoyo of Piffle, so much like Princess Tomoyo of Japan, looked up at him with deep concern in her eyes. "...Does it hurt?" she asked him timidly.

Kurogane had not given any sign that he had noticed her approach at first, but he now turned his head to look down at her. "Huh?"

"Your left hand," she explained.

Kurogane turned from her and stared aimlessly at the empty space before him. "It's nothing," he grunted shortly.

"You really are just as she said," Tomoyo remarked, clasping her hands and resting them upon her lap.

"You're talking about that dream again?" he asked her as he took a long swig from his bottle.

"You don't seem surprised."

"With that princess," he said as he slouched, his face strained and his eyes twitching, "something like crossing over into someone else's dream isn't a strange thing."

Tomoyo grinned.

"...In your dream..." Kurogane said quietly as he raised the bottle slightly, ready to take another drink. He _tsked_ and straightened, squaring his shoulders while he continued to stare determinedly before him. "Never mind," he mumbled.

"There is something on your mind," Tomoyo said. "Please finish what you wanted to say."

"..." Kurogane bowed his head, his brow knitting as he tried to summon the nerve to just go ahead and ask her what he longed to know. "In your dream," he finally said after a few moments of silence, "how was Tomoyo-hime?"

"She was well." Tomoyo smiled. "When she spoke of you, she seemed to enjoy it immensely."

Kurogane's eyes twitched again and he _humphed_, looking at her through the corner of his left eye. "I take it she was throwing around jokes again," he muttered dryly.

"No. She said she was sure you would come to understand true strength."

Kurogane's crimson eyes widened as he turned his head slowly to look at her in surprise. For a moment, he had been sure that it had been his princess who had spoken. But the girl looking up at him was only her counterpart. Kurogane's shoulders sagged and he turned his gaze to look at the ground before him. "..."

His left hand had come out of his pocket sometime during their conversation, and he had not realized it. Tomoyo reached up and her small hands slipped about his injured hand, her fingertips caressing him lightly. "Please, do not be rash," she said softly, "so that you may heal quickly."

Kurogane said nothing. Normally, he would have pulled back his hand the moment anyone had come within a few centimeters of it. But it had not felt right to do so here. It had not felt right with Tomoyo—even if she was not the Tomoyo he knew. He closed his eyes and he frowned in thought. "The same soul, huh?" he murmured.

Tomoyo let go of his hand and arched her eyebrows in curiosity and surprise. "What?"

Kurogane did not answer. Stuffing his hand back in his pocket, he lifted his head to survey the sky.

The night sky was enveloped in pitch-black darkness, save for it being faintly dotted with a few stars, but their glow was dimmed by the bright spotlights of Piffle aimed at it.

Somewhere, far far away, one of those stars was his home-world. One of those stars was his dimension. One of those stars was Japan. Somewhere out there, in the vast expanse of the Universe, was where Princess Tomoyo resided, waiting patiently for Kurogane's return.

His expression grew determined. He made a promise to himself that he would find his way back to Japan. No matter how long it would take him, he swore that he would return, without fail.

To Princess Tomoyo.


End file.
